If there is an underrated piece of the Kansas City Chiefs, it is the team's ability to find surprising value both in the draft and free agency. Multiple times, Kansas City has taken failing players and turned them into valuable contributors on a Super Bowl Champion.
This is what fans are hoping is the case when it comes to rookie receiver Jalen Royals. If there is one offensive concern remaining, it is having enough talent at receiver to properly support Patrick Mahomes.
A lot of how this plays out hinges on the status of Rashee Rice. The receiver is coming off a brutal knee injury and is facing off-the-field concerns as well. With this in mind, it is likely Royals is going to get his chance to play an early role in the Kansas City offense.
Week 3 Should be Circled as the Moment Patrick Mahomes Gives Jalen Royals a Chance
With the Chiefs' schedule officially released Wednesday night, we now can circle the best time for Royals to work his way into the Kansas City offense. The first two weeks of the season are likely to be extremely tight games against the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles. Both teams are going to give the Chiefs their absolute best shot.
This indicates a need for Patrick Mahomes to lean on trusted targets and be in playoff mode to start the campaign. With this in mind, it is unlikely Royals is going to play a huge role offensively even if he does work his way into the rotation.
However, this changes in Week 3 with the Chiefs traveling to New York to take on a struggling Giants team. There is no softer spot on the schedule for Mahomes and Andy Reid to find out exactly what they have in the rookie receiver. With the need to save Travis Kelce for the season's most important moments at this stage of his career, the team badly needs a new target to emerge.
Week 3 is the perfect time for the Chiefs to plan a heavy role for the rookie receiver and attempt to find out what exactly his ceiling might be. Even if the plan were to fail, the Chiefs would have zero problems beating an underwhelming New York roster.
The more likely way this plays out is with Royals thriving in a low-pressure situation and building the needed confidence to become a surprise contributor down the stretch. No question, if a breakout game is happening early in the season for Royals, it will be Week 3.